The Black Lives Matter movement has been branded “divisive” by GB News presenter Nana Akua as it comes in for a fresh bout of controversy.
It comes as an organiser of a protest for the group admitted to taking money from a fundraising page set up before the toppling of Edward Colston’s statue.
Xahra Saleem was one of the organisers of a protest held in Bristol in response to the murder of George Floyd by police in the US.
Saleem admitted one count of fraud at Bristol Crown Court on 19 September, and is due to be sentenced at the same court on 31 October.
Nana Akua has hit out at the Black Lives Matter movement
PA / GB NEWS
Speaking on GB News, Nana Akua launched a scathing rant about the admission, saying she is “not surprised”, adding that it exposes the “fraudulent” nature of the protest group.
“They’re capitalising on white guilt, they’ve made about $90 million from it”, she told Patrick Christys.
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“This is what they call it themselves. It really is no surprise that this woman took about £30,000 from a GoFundMe page.
“It was meant for masks and things like that for people at the demonstration, what was left was meant to go to a charity called Your Mindset and in the end, that didn’t happen.”
Bristol became a symbol for the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 when campaigners toppled the Edward Colston statue in the city.
Thousands descended on the streets in the wake of George Floyd’s death in what was one of many protests organised by the campaign group across the year.
The Black Lives Matter movement has proven to be contentious
gbnewsThe movement has garnered criticism over how it has used funds in the past, with leaders being forced to dismiss allegations that they mismanaged millions of dollars.
A New York Magazine report reported in 2022 that they had purchased a $6 million home in Southern California with donated funds.
Co-founder Patrisse Cullors was forced to deny the allegations, hitting out at “misinformation and disinformation”.
Nana Akua hit out at the “backwards” movement, saying they are essentially “separating people based on the colour of their skin”.
“I think it’s divisive because it’s upsetting for a lot of white people”, she said.
“It’s divisive for the people who aren’t of the race that you’re saying matters.
“I’ll be honest, I face more racism from black people than I ever have from any white people and just simply for calling a lot of this out, I find it incredible that this would be the case.”
Saleem, 23, of Romford, was one of five organisers behind All Black Lives Matter UK, who organised the protest which took place on 7 June 2020.
She organised a fundraising page for personal protective equipment to legally facilitate the march as it took place during the Covid pandemic, when such restrictions were in place on coverings.
An agreement is said to have been made that any excess funds would go to Bristol charity Changing Your Mindset Ltd.
In January, Bristol Magistrates Court was told that the fundraising page had raised tens of thousands of pounds, but the charity had not received any funds.